Should you social network?
It seems like a new social network or social network application targeting do-gooders sprouts up every day - like change.org, zaadz or razoo, Causes on Facebook, etc. So what is an overwhelmed do-gooder to do? What should a nonprofit do?
My clever colleague Justin Perkins of Care2 has some great materials to help you weigh the relative merits and risks of investing in social networks.
First, he does a nice analysis of the “Long Tail” of Facebook causes here.
Second, he created a nifty ROI calculator to help you decide which investments are worth an effort.
Both are required reading!
And listen to the bottom line:
The same old organizing rules still seem to apply, though there are some obvious advantages to playing in social networks if you are promoting a nonprofit cause. Social networks are different from other mediums, in that they tap into some basic human needs in a new way—the need to be part of a group, the need to be creative, and the need to have a voice heard in a public forum. But it’s tough to get in the middle of that, as an organization. It can take a lot of time.
In the meantime, on a self-promotional note, don’t forget that you can create a Six Degrees badge that works on many social networks—as a way to experiment to encourage supports across different platforms! (Six Degrees is part of Network for Good, where I work). You could win a $10,000 matching grant if you’re really good at it!
Syndicate
Cool materials, I’ve already seen it. They can really help to weigh the relative merits and risks of investing in social networks.